Joshua Gunter / The Plain DealerBrowns safety T.J. Ward knocked Cincinnati's Jordan Shipley out of the game with this fourth-quarter hit that resulted in a roughness penalty. Eric Wright (right) had initially broken up a pass intended for Shipley before Ward arrived.

CLEVELAND -- Quarterback Carson Palmer and receiver Terrell Owens both accused Browns rookie safety T.J. Ward of “a cheap shot” for a helmet-to-helmet hit on rookie receiver Jordan Shipley in the end zone, which possibly knocked him out cold.

Ward hit Shipley’s head with his shoulder first and then his helmet. Shipley left the game with a concussion and didn’t return. Ward was flagged — moving the Bengals half the distance to the goal line (4 yards) — and could get fined for the hit later in the week. Cincinnati scored a TD on the next play to close to within 23-20 in the fourth quarter.

“I think it was a ridiculous play,” said Owens. “The guy is defenseless. I hate to see a guy get hit like that. The ball had already bounced off, and for him to take a cheap shot like that, that’s uncalled for. I think everybody came to Shipley’s aid. In a situation like that, people get hurt. Just to see him like that, I thought he was out cold. He was real groggy, eyes were rolling to the back of his head. You never want to see a teammate in that situation. I just hate it.”

Added Palmer: “You hate to see Shipley hit like that. It was a cheap shot, a shot that shouldn’t happen. When you see a guy laying on the ground like that, it makes you realize how violent the game can be.”

Replays showed that Ward struck Shipley with his shoulder first and caught him with his helmet just after Eric Wright knocked the ball away. But Ward, who caught the wrath of many Bengals, including Owens, said he didn’t think it was unnecessary roughness.

“No. I tried to lead with my shoulder,” Ward said. “It’s a physical game out there. No one’s trying to hurt anybody to the point they can’t play. We’ll see what the ruling is, and hopefully they see it in my favor.”

Ward said the hit won’t change his big-hitting style, one he was well-known for at Oregon. “No. I’m going to try to be more precise where I hit him, but it’s not going to change how I play,” he said.

Even if he gets fined?

“I’m not saying that,” Ward said. “I’m going to try to hit him where I can’t get a fine,” he said. “I believe I led with my shoulder. I may have gotten a little helmet, but I didn’t lead with my helmet. I didn’t try to hit him under his helmet at all.”

Ward said given the circumstances, “I would have done it again. I was upset with the ruling and the flag, given that it was third down. But who knows? If I didn’t hit him, he might have caught a touchdown.”

Ward said he didn’t ask for an explanation from the ref.

“I just walked back to the huddle,” he said. “Some of their players came over and tried to yap at me, but I ignored them.” He said he’s not worried about getting a bad reputation.

“Whatever my reputation is, that’s what it is,” he said. “I’m not going to stop playing how I play. That makes me the player I am.”

Browns President Mike Holmgren talked to Ward after the game.

“He was just telling me just be careful out there and try to be smart about situations like that,” Ward said.

Ward said he didn’t know the ball was already incomplete.

“I didn’t see it,” he said. “I think I hit him as soon as the ball got there. I just tried to knock it out. I didn’t want to hit Eric because he was right there as well. There was only a couple things I could do, either hit him or move completely out of the way, and I can’t do that.”

Ward said he didn’t know Shipley was hurt “until after the flag was thrown and I saw him laying there.”

Coleman’s quick fix: Kenyon Coleman was a sure scratch for the game because of a knee injury. He couldn’t even practice Friday.

But he suddenly felt healed Saturday evening and scrambled to persuade the staff to let him play.

They did, and Coleman responded with his best career game — one that included two fumble recoveries that led to field goals and a sack.

“Twenty-four hours ago, I was a scratch,” he said after the game. “There’s no doubt in my mind. You can ask anybody on the training staff, strength coach or whatever. I wasn’t supposed to play.”

But Friday, teammate Brian Schaefering prayed for him, and Coleman said, “That’s how it turned around.”

Hillis huge again: Peyton Hillis came through for the Browns with his second straight 100-yard game and fourth TD in as many games. But it was a 24-yard burst on the final drive with two minutes remaining that preserved the victory.

“The play before, we ran the exact same play, and Eric Steinbach came and told me that if an opening isn’t inside, be sure to bounce out because there’s nothing out there. I took his word for it, and it ended up being good for me.”﻿

Hillis said he was unaware he knocked safety Roy Williams out of the game with a knee injury after plowing through him on an 8-yard run. "It's totally momentum,'' said Hillis. "You get adrenalin going, the crowd's going, you're running there in the red zone and you just want to get that seven points.''

Hillis is already a fan favorite like he was in Denver.

"I love this city because of the hard-working people that are here,'' he said. "It's a blue-collar town. When I think of Cleveland, I think of myself. They accept their football players with open arms and they show up every Sunday, win lose or draw.''

Hillis added that he's "never been happier or had more fun playing football.''

HADEN AND CHAD: Ochocinco threw Joe Haden to the ground on a fourth quarter play to draw an offensive interference call. Matt Roth sacked Palmer on the next drive to end it.

"I broke on the ball and was standing there waiting for the interception and he grabbed me and threw me on the ground,'' said Haden. "I had a wide-open pick.'

FUJITA'S BIG PLAYS: Linebacker Scott Fujita had a career day, blocking his first career field goal and forcing Palmer's third-quarter fumble. "There wasn't a whole lot to it except I had two big guys, one on either side of me, clear things out and it kind of came open. I was as surprised as anybody because I've never blocked a kick in my life.''

Mangini said Fujita listened to what special teams coach Brad Seeley told him during the week.

MOORE'S TD CATCH: Evan Moore caught his first TD catch, a 24-yarder and then spontaneously jumped into the end zone stands. Unfortunately, Ben Watson followed and received a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.

"It was a great pass,'' said Moore, who split two defenders, including former Brown Chris Crocker. "(The leap)was something that just came up.''

But for Moore it was extra special, because it was Breast Cancer Awareness Day and his grandmother just started chemotherapy this week. He said he'll give her the pink gloves he wore on the catch.

"Hopefully things will turn out okay for her,'' he said.

HARRISON BARELY THERE: Jerome Harrison, who's recovering from a thigh injury did not show up on offense until the victory formation at the end. Last week, he said he didn't know what his role was and questioned "what carries?'' in answer to a question about losing some with Hillis so hot.

INACTIVES: Inactives included Jake Delhomme (ankle), who was the third QB, Brian Robiskie (hamstring) and James Davis (thigh).

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